20 December 11 -17, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Food for the Metal- Starved Sick New World aims to revive DFW’s rock legacy with a festival debut next year. BY PRESTON BARTA T he story of North Texas isn’t writ- ten in whispers—it’s thundered out on stages, boot-stomped into sticky venue floors and etched in the memories of sweat-soaked crowds. Here, rock and metal are not just genres but rites of passage, handed down alongside Pantera tapes and tales of legendary nights. For years, the Dallas-Fort Worth legacy has been fierce and undeniable, yet when it comes to major festivals, our spotlight always seems to flicker — unsteady, overlooked and waiting for its fuse to catch. The October announcement of Sick New World’s expansion into Texas felt like a light- ning strike, a jolt of raw energy aimed directly at the heart of the metal-starved masses. But the decision to plant its flag at the Texas Mo- tor Speedway in Fort Worth is more than just a smart business move; it’s a homecoming. It’s a reclamation of a narrative that has haunted the local scene for too long. For Bobby Clay, a promoter at C3 Pres- ents and a key architect of this Texas edition, the move is deeply personal. “Growing up in Dallas, there were a few things as a kid of the ‘90s,” Clay recalls. “It was like you took ownership of the Cow- boys, you took ownership of Pantera and you took ownership of RoboCop.” This trifecta of Texas pride speaks vol- umes. It’s a cultural DNA that intertwines fierce loyalty, a larger-than-life attitude and a gritty, industrial edge. Pantera, in particu- lar, put DFW on the global metal map, creat- ing a legacy that still echoes today. Yet, despite this rich history and a scene that has remained “very strong,” Clay acknowledges a paradox. The region has been “very under- served in the rock fest landscape.” This brings us to the elephant in the room, a phrase Clay himself brings up with knowing candor: “Dallas is where festivals go to die.” It’s a harsh but not entirely unfounded reputation, a graveyard of ambitious events that failed to connect, sustain, or survive. “So many new shows have tried to pop up there and they’ve not succeeded,” he admits. So, what makes Sick New World differ- ent? Why bet on a market that has histori- cally been so unforgiving? The answer lies in a perfect storm of tim- ing, talent and an undeniable hunger. “It was kind of just like a perfect sum of all parts that came together,” Clay explains. “We got the bands, we have the site, we gotta go now.” And what a collection of bands it is. Head- lined by titans like System of a Down, Slayer and Deftones, the lineup reads like a love letter to the late ‘90s and early 2000s. These aren’t just any bands. For many of them, North Texas is hallowed ground. “For the bands that we’re booking on this show, these are bar none, some of their biggest markets,” Clay notes. The pent-up demand is palpable. System of a Down hasn’t played North Texas in two decades. The legends of Slayer are returning to the stage after their farewell tour. Def- tones, who “blew out their arena tour,” are bringing a new record that fans have been desperate to hear live. The promoters didn’t just book a festival; they answered a call that had been ringing for years. When they ap- proached the bands with the Fort Worth idea, the response was an “immediate yes.” The choice of the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth is another masterstroke. Clay describes the city as “probably one of the coolest cities in North America that is also ex- periencing a really creative renaissance in their identity.” He calls the decision a “no- brainer.” It sidesteps the logistical challenges of Dallas proper while tapping into the fierce, independent spirit of its sister city. It provides a massive, proven venue capable of hosting an event of this magnitude without compromise. This isn’t just about bringing a big show to town. It’s about building a new home. Clay speaks of his “very close relationship to Dallas” and what he and the Sick New World team want to contribute. The vision is for “DFW to be the new home of the sister festival of the main show in Vegas.” The ini- tial response suggests they’ve struck gold. “It’s been really well received,” he says. “Ev- erything we’re seeing right now is that it was just the right decision.” The festival aims to be more than just a concert. It’s positioned as a cultural gathering point. Clay envisions it as a “haven and this meetup spot...for all the freaks and misfits around Texas and Oklahoma and Arkansas and New Mexico.” It’s a pilgrimage for a com- munity that has long existed in the deep, loyal pockets of the local music scene but hasn’t had a proper cathedral to gather in. Sick New World is poised to be that ca- thedral. It promises an experience that is both “broad and all-encompassing” while remaining “on the nose” for its core audi- ence. It’s a celebration for the diehards who have kept the faith, but with an eye toward being “a bit more open to a family type of thing.” The goal is to create something that feels like a “uniquely Texas experience,” welcoming people “from all over, from all backgrounds, from all ages.” For the first time in a long while, the con- versation isn’t about what DFW lacks, but what it’s about to gain. The narrative is shift- ing from a festival graveyard to a festival re- naissance, powered by a lineup that couldn’t be ignored and orchestrated by people who understand the soul of the city. As Clay puts it, “It’s just taken this long to put something together like this.” The wait is finally over. The static in the air is growing louder, the frequency clearer. A sick new world is coming, and it feels a lot like coming home. Valeria Avalos / Sick New World Fans flock to the vibrant Sick New World festival entrance. ▼ Music D INTERESTED CANDIDATES PLEASE SEND YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO [email protected]
